Urban Regeneration in the UK
Written by Emma KajiyamaPhotos by Jools Abel
There are
many towns and cities in the UK working hard to combine urban living with
nature. Thankfully, some councils deem
it a necessity to work with nature, realising that without green pockets in
built-up areas, the decline of pollinators and British wildlife in general is
inevitable. As always, such decline will have a knock-on effect on our own
lifestyle, from the food we eat to the air we breathe.
Initiatives
such as the regeneration of Burnley, a town in Lancashire, have included the
creation of wildflower meadows integrated into the urban landscape. Burnley Council sought to improve the areas
where houses had been demolished leaving behind large swathes of unused land,
which had been initially covered over with grass and mowed regularly, a
situation that had not been wildlife-friendly.
As well as
being pleasing to the eye, this wildflower planting has had many benefits. The natural habitats for the local flora and
fauna has been improved by allowing the meadows to grow throughout the spring
and summer periods. This has also helped
to attract the ever important pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds.
‘Proffitts
Investing in Communities’ led the first wildflower planting event in Burnley,
inviting the local community to help plant the first batch of seeds from
wildflower seed packets. This was vital
in helping to raise awareness to families living in the area about the
importance of wildlife.
Projects
such as ‘Grow Wild’, led by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, who appeared in
Manchester Dig the City 2015, have been helping people and their communities to
“transform unloved urban spaces… into wildlife friendly wild flower patches”
(Growwilduk.com, 2015). Their seed kits
vary, with different mixes for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
I am limited
in my knowledge of identifying plants so I can only hope that projects like the
urban regeneration of Burnley, have taken native wildflower planting into
careful consideration. These projects are a very positive step towards understanding
and learning more about wildlife conservation in our urban areas.
If you do wish to start a wildflower initiative in your local area, please visit https://www.growwilduk.com/faqs for further information on planting native plants.
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